Enlargement of the European Union

The Enlargement of the European Union refers to the process by which new member states join the European Union, significantly impacting its political, economic, and social landscape. The EU has undergone several enlargement processes since its inception, transforming it from the original six members to its current 27 member states.

Historical Enlargements

1981 Enlargement of the European Communities: Greece became a member, marking the second enlargement, when the EU was then known as the European Communities.
1986 Enlargement: Included Spain and Portugal, expanding the EU's geographic boundaries further into Southern Europe.
1995 Enlargement: Brought Austria, Finland, and Sweden into the fold, marking the EU's fourth enlargement.
2004 Enlargement: Saw the largest single expansion of the EU, with 10 countries, primarily from Central and Eastern Europe, including Poland, Hungary, and the Baltic states, joining on May 1, 2004.
2007 Enlargement: Bulgaria and Romania joined the EU in the fifth wave of expansion.
2013 Enlargement: Croatia became the 28th member state, the most recent enlargement to date.

Criteria and Process

The process of enlargement involves several criteria, often referred to as the Copenhagen criteria, which candidate countries must satisfy to be considered for membership. These include stable institutions guaranteeing democracy, a functioning market economy, and the acceptance of EU laws and obligations. Each step in the accession process requires unanimous approval from existing member states, and the European Parliament must also agree.

Potential Future Enlargements

The Potential enlargement of the European Union includes countries such as Albania, North Macedonia, Montenegro, and Serbia, which are currently recognized as candidates for EU membership. The accession of these countries is governed by Article 49 of the Maastricht Treaty.

Institutional Roles

The European Commission plays a pivotal role in the enlargement process, overseeing negotiations and ensuring that candidate countries comply with EU standards. The European Commissioner for Enlargement is the official responsible for leading this process and managing relations with candidate countries.

Impacts of Enlargement

With each enlargement, the EU expands its influence, integrating more countries into a single Customs Union and shared economic space, thus fostering stability and prosperity across Europe. Enlargement also strengthens the EU's geopolitical positioning and diversity, enabling it to better address global challenges.

European Union

The European Union (EU) is a political and economic union of 27 member states that are located primarily in Europe. The EU operates through a system of supranational institutions and intergovernmental-negotiated decisions by the member states. The EU has developed an internal single market through a standardized system of laws that apply in all member states in those matters, and only those matters, where the states have agreed to act as one.

History of the European Union

The history of the European Union traces back to the aftermath of World War II. European integration was seen as a way to prevent the extreme nationalism that had devastated the continent. The idea was to create a common market with free movement of goods, services, people, and capital.

The foundational treaties include the Treaty of Paris in 1951, establishing the European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC), and the Treaties of Rome in 1957, which created the European Economic Community (EEC) and the European Atomic Energy Community (Euratom).

The Maastricht Treaty of 1993 officially established the European Union and introduced the three-pillar structure of the EU. Later, the Treaty of Lisbon in 2009 reformed many aspects of the EU and increased the powers of the European Parliament.

Member States

As of today, the European Union consists of 27 member states. These countries are subject to the EU's founding treaties. Notable exits and non-members include Brexit, where the United Kingdom left the EU in 2020.